Collapsible table supporting means



Aug. 2, 1955 H. P. GLASS COLLAPSIBLE TABLE SUPPORTING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 50, 1955 F/Gl.

INVENTOR, HENRY P. GLASS Aug. 2, 1955 Filed Dec. 30, 1955 H P. GLASS COLLAPSIBLE TABLE SUPPORTING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. HENRY P. GLASS ZZZMW AGENT United States Patent Qfifice COLLAPSaIBLE TABLE SUPPGRTIN G MEANS Henry P. Glass, Chicago, Ill. Application December 39, 1953, Serial No. 401,151

6 Claims. (Cl. 311-84) This invention relates to collapsible articles of furniture and more particularly to folding tables, chairs or t benches.

Heretofore, light weight collapsible tables and benches have been incapable of sustaining the weights to which this type of furniture was subjected, with the result that the legs of the table or bench collapsed while under load. in anticipation of the publics habit of overloading collapsible furniture, manufacturers have increased the size and weight of the component parts of the tables and benches resulting in bulky pieces of furniture.

In accordance with the invention claimed a new and improved light weight inexpensively manufactured collapsible piece of furniture is provided which is strong and solid and capable of sustaining weights which the ordinary collapsible table or bench would be unable to withstand. This new and improved article of furniture comprises a top and a plurality of pairs of legs arranged to support the top. Each of the pairs of legs are pivotally mounted so as to support the top when moved from a folded or collapsed position to an extended position. Means such as a ferrule are arranged to encase the free ends of adjacent legs of different pairs of legs to lock the pairs of legs in their extended position.

It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a new and improved supporting structure for a collapsible article of furniture in which a maximum strength of construction is obtained by the use of a minimum weight of material.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved collapsible article of furniture employing a hinge means which is rigid and durable in construction.

A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved collapsible article of furniture in which the legs overlap each other and are locked in their extended position against accidental collapse.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved collapsible article of furniture in which the hinged leg members are readily extended to open position, locked in extended position to prevent collapsing, and readily unlocked to fold legs back to collapsed position. Objects and advantages other than those above set forth will be apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a table embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the table illustrated in Fig. 1 in the collapsed position with the table legs folded adjacent the top;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective View of the hinge and leg members of one corner of the table illustrated in Fig. 1 looking up from underside;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modification of the hinge or pivotal members illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of another modification of the hinge or pivotal members illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4; and

Patented Aug. 2, 1955 Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the hinge and leg members of one corner of the table illustrated in Fig. 5.

Referring more particularly to the drawing by characters of reference Fig. 1 illustrates a collapsible table 9 COIHPIISIHg a rectangularly shaped top 10 having a plural- Ity of edges and four pairs of table supporting legs 11, 12, and 14. Each pair of legs is made of a steel rod bent in the form of a U-shaped member. Each U-shaped member forming one pair of table supporting legs is pivotally mounted on a different edge of top 10 at a point intermediate the free ends of the U-shaped member. The table supporting legs 11, 12, 13 and 14 are arranged to support top 19 when the legs are moved from their folded or collapsed position wherein the legs are adjacent the edges of top 1% (as shown in Fig. 2) to an extended or table open position wherein the legs are extended transversely to the plane of top 10 (as shown in Fig. 1).

Each pair of legs is pivotally mounted on a different edge of top 10 intermediate the ends of the U-shaped member by a pair of hinge connecting means. Each hinge connecting means comprises a sleeve 16 arranged ad acent an edge of top 10 and suitably connected to top 10 by a plate 17. Sleeves 16 surround parts of legs 11, 12, 13 and 14 to provide a loose pivotal mounting so that the supporting legs of table 9 may be readily moved from folded to extended position with little physical effort.

As shown particularly in Fig. 1 forming pairs of legs 11 and 13 one pair of opposite or opposing 10 overlap the U-shaped members forming pairs of legs 12 and 14 which are mounted on a second pair of opposite or opposing sides or edges of top 10. With this arrangement of overlapping adjacent pairs of legs, the U-shaped members forming these legs may be readily folded up adjacent the edges of top 10 without interfering with each other.

Each leg of the U-shaped member is bent slightly so that the ends of these members extend toward each other when secured to top 10 in the overlapping manner described. The adjacent legs of different pairs of legs, such as the adjacent legs of pairs 11 and 12, 12 and 13,

the U-shaped members which are mounted on sides or edges of top 13 and 14, and 14 and 11 converge toward each other at their free ends when in the extended position.

In accordance with this invention a suitable locking means 18 such as a ferrule is arranged to surround or slide over the free ends of the adjacent legs to lock together these adjacent legs in their extended position. This locking means may be a cup, cap, ring or sleeve which is extended around or over the free ends of the adjacent legs of adjacent pairs of legs after the legs have been moved to their extended position. As shown in Fig. l a cap is illustrated as the locking means which cap also protects the floor from being damaged by scratching of marring from the rod ends of the U-shaped members[ The locking means 13 holds the pairs of legs 11, 12, 13 and 14 from spreading farther apart under load thereby preventing the table 9 from collapsing when in the table erected or leg extended position.

Fig. 4 illustrates a modification of the hinge mounting or pivotal means illustrated in Fig. 3. The hinge mounting comprises a pair of pipe couplings or sleeves 21 and 22 which are secured to each other by spot Welding one on top of the other at substantially right angles to each other. Sleeves 21 and 22in turn are secured to a triangular plate 23 which is secured to the under side of top 10 with one hinge mounting arranged at each corner of table 9. The sleeves 21 and 22 loosely surround the U-shaped members intermediate the ends thereof so that the U-shaped members may be readily moved from leg folded position to leg extended position.

To collapse the table after it has been assembled with the legs in their extended position and the ferrules placed over the free ends of adjacent legs of different pairs of legs one merely has to remove the ferrules from the ends of the table legs and rotate the U-shaped members to their folded position adjacent the table top 10.

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate another modification of the hinge mounting or pivotal means illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4. The hinge mounting comprises a solid member 25 formed out of any suitable material such as brass and providing two cylindrical openings 26 and 27 therethrough. Openings 26 and 27 are provided to extend transversely to each other so as to form loose pivotal mountings for adjacent pairs of legs. The U-shaped members forming pairs of legs 11 and 13 overlap the U-shaped pairs of legs 12 and 14. The legs of the U-shaped members are passed through the cylindrical openings 26 and 27 in members 25 to provide a pivotal means at each point of overlapping of adjacent pairs of U-shaped members. The U-shaped members may be folded up in the same manner as illustrated in Fig. 2 With the legs adjacent the edges of top Without interfering with each other.

Ridge means 28 are provided on each member so that a table top 10 or the like may be placed between the pivot members used and retained in a given position. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the top 10 is supported by the U-shaped members directly and is retained in a given po sition by members 25. The ridge 28 and a side 29 of each member 25 forms a corner for the table top 10.

Although the illustrations of the drawings show collapsible tables embodying the invention claimed, nevertheless, the new and improved supports and pivot means shown in Figs. 1 to 6 may be used for any other type of supporting structure having round, triangular, or any other shape or form of supported member.

Although but a few embodiments of the present in- Vention have been illustrated and described it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein Without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A collapsible article of furniture comprising a top having a plurality of edges, a plurality of pairs of legs for supporting said top, each of said pairs of legs comprising a U-shaped member pivotally mounted on a different edge of said top intermediate the ends of said member to support said top when moved from a folded position wherein said legs are adjacent the edges of said top to an extended position transversely to said top, said adjacent legs of different said pairs of legs being bent to converge toward each other at their free ends when in said extended position, and ferrule means provided on the ends of said adjacent legs to lock said adjacent legs to gether in said extended position.

2. A collapsible article of furniture comprising a rectangularly shaped top, a plurality of pairs of legs for supporting said top, each of said pairs of legs comprising a U-shaped member pivotally mounted on a different edge of said top intermediate the ends of said member to support said top when moved from a folded position wherein said legs are adjacent the edges of said top to an extended position transversely to said top, said U-shaped members mounted on one pair of opposite sides of said top overlapping the U-shaped members mounted on the other pair of opposite sides of said top,

said adjacent legs of different said pairs of legs converging toward each other at their free ends when in said extended position and ferrule means provided on the ends of said adjacent legs to lock said adjacent legs together in said extended position.

3. A collapsible article of furniture comprising a rectangularly shaped top, a plurality of pairs of legs for supporting said top, each of said pairs of legs comprising a U-shaped member, pivot means comprising a pair of sleeves secured to each other at substantially right angles and mounted on each corner of said top, said pivot means loosely surrounding said U-shaped members intermediate the ends thereof, said U-shaped members being movable from a folded position wherein said legs are adjacent the edges of said top to an extended position transversely of said top, said adjacent legs of different said pairs of legs being bent to converge toward each other at their free ends when in said extended position, and ferrule means fitted around the ends of said adjacent legs to lock said adjacent legs together in said extended position.

4. A support for a table top or the like comprising a plurality of pairs of legs, each of said pairs of legs comprising a U-shaped member, pivot means comprising a solid member formed to provide two openings therethrough, said openings being provided to extend transversely to each other so as to form pivotal mountings for adjacent said pairs of legs, each of said pairs of legs being movable from a collapsed position to an extended position, and ridge means formed on said solid member for retaining a table top in a given position.

5. A support for a table top or the like comprising a plurality of pairs of legs, pivot means comprising a member providing two cylindrical openings therethrough, said openings being provided to extend transversely to each other so as to form loose pivotal mountings for adjacent pairs of legs, each of said pairs of legs being movable from a collapsed position to an extended position, said adjacent legs of different said pairs of legs being bent to converge toward each other at their free ends when in said extended position, and ferrule means provided on the ends of said adjacent legs to lock said adjacent legs together in said extended position.

6. A support for a table top or the like comprising a plurality of pairs of legs, each of said pairs of legs comprising a U-shaped member, pivot means comprising a solid member formed to provide two openings therethrough, said openings being provided to extend transversely to each other so as to form pivotal mountings for adjacent said pairs of legs, each of said pairs of legs being movable from a collapsed position to an extended position, said adjacent legs of different said pairs of legs being bent to converge toward each other at their free ends when in said extended position, ferrule means arranged to slide over the ends of said adjacent legs to a lock said adjacent legs together in said extended position,

and ridge means formed on said solid member for retaining a table top in a given position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,295,194 Parelius Feb. 25, 1919 1,670,145 Farington May 15, 1928 2,446,930 Hower Aug. 10, 1948 2,470,026 Freund May 10, 1949 2,508,627 Spiegel et al. May 23, 1950 2,613,957 Ritter Oct. 14, 1952 2,638,394 Ulrich May 12, 1953 2,684,276 Bailey July 20, 1954 

